Horseflies have serrated scimitars which look like mandibles and they use this to pierce the skin. They attack the flesh by getting the top layer sliced off and you get to feel like a needle pricked your skin. They go ahead to lick the blood. When compared to stings from a bee, a horse fly bite is usually more irritating. It takes more time to heal because cuts usually go through the skin.
Understanding Horsefly Bites:
Symptoms of Horsefly Bites
Symptoms for most that suffer a horsefly bite is the running and screaming to get away from the female fly, who seems to be relentless at her pursuit, once she has located your warm body, CO2 producing blood. For a horse it can be the nervous swatting of the tail or movements.
As soon as horse flies bite you, you will notice red lumps developing on your skin. The tissues that surround the affected area begin to release histamine and this leads to an inflated and itchy bump. Rarely do people experience allergies which include hives, skin rashes as well as wheezing because of a horse fly bite.
How to Treat a Horsefly Bite
In normal circumstances, you need between 2 and 3 days for insect bites to become fully healed. Typically, it is simply more about dealing with the discomfort of the bite.
On experiencing a horse fly bite, the first step should be to get the wound cleaned with antiseptic soap as well as antiseptic water. Make use of a clean paper towel to dry the area. Should you not be able to do that immediately, apply some saliva on it to curb the swelling. Histatin protein is contained in your saliva, which means that it has some level of healing properties.
If you are experiencing an itch, do not scratch so that you do not worsen the bite or risk developing an infection. We recommend that you get hydrocortisone cream and apply it on the area where the horse fly bite you. it could assist in calming swells and itches that come with horse fly bites.
Another option that can help to alleviate the discomfort is taking an antihistamine tablet. You could also get a tea towel and soak it in water that is salty and heated up. Then, take the towel and place it on the area where you were bitten.
Aloe Vera juice, as well as vinegar, can help to relieve pain if applied. The swelling can also be reduced if you apply ice cubes or make use of a cooling pad. There are home remedies that you could adopt to tackle horse fly bites. They include making use of baking soda paste, garlic, and mud, honey, as well as raw onion, etc.
Prevention
Some prevention measures include making use of horsefly repellents, sprays, as well as a wide range of horse fly control products.